Pa-Ord Noodle ก๋วยเตี๋ยว ป้าอ๊อด

🇹🇭 THAILAND / FREE FRIDAY FAVORITES: The mini empire that began at the floating markets of Thailand has compressed a bit but is still always there for the perfect bowl of noodles.

🇹🇭 THAILAND
📍 5301 Sunset Blvd.,
Thai Town, Central Los Angeles
🅿️ Small plaza has limited parking
🥤 No Alcohol

EDITOR'S NOTE: Other Pa-Ord locations in Thai Town have closed, but Pa-Ord Zappver in North Hollywood near Wat Thai is still open.

FREE FRIDAY FAVORITES is a series of articles that revisit some choice restaurants featured on eattheworldla.com over the years. These will never be behind the paywall, but will update information as necessary and will always be about meals that are worth returning for again. This week’s post is Wednesday because of the holiday, Happy Thanksgiving settlers!

In the back corner of a mini mall on Sunset Blvd., Pa-Ord Noodle makes a perfect spot to eat and sweat late into the night when most of the other Thai restaurants nearby have already closed. (Late-ish now since the pandemic, the closing time is 10pm.) Everyone that has ever visited the noodle shop in Thai Town has the same feeling. The desire to come back for the wonderful bowls of noodles, the need almost. It will not go away until you return and that first spicy sip hits your lips.

These bowls are how noodle eating should be, and often is in Thailand. They do not need to come to the table with so many chilies already inside, there are sweet, sour, and spicy condiments for each user to adjust their bowl as desired. Owner and chef Lawan Bhanduram (Pa-Ord is her nickname) has been making these bowls since she lived back home, but has been wow-ing Los Angeles for more than 20 years at various locations.

She has photos of herself when she was a boat noodle purveyor in Thailand, so that is definitely a good place to start on the menu. A bowl of guay tiew reua ($12, above) comes in either pork or beef, but expect many different cuts. The standard pork has cuts of meat, meatballs, and liver (as well as blood in the broth), while the beef uses these and adds tripe and tendon.

Another unfortunate post-pandemic reality is that the small bowls are no longer available, so plan on making these noodles your main meal. But as any reputable noodle vendor should have, Pa-Ord tables are stocked with plenty of condiments to adapt the soup to your own tastes. The base is already good enough, but adding more sour tastes from pickled green peppers or fire from red peppers either dried or in a paste are all available.

Above the boat noodles on the menu are the options for tom yum noodles ($12-14, above), available in original pork and other versions that focus on fish balls, seafood, or pork spare ribs. Despite her beginnings, this bowl of guay tiew tom yum might be the bowl that gets you coming again and again as described above, the assault of textures and flavors in each bite is addictive.

With enough visits, you can travel deep into the roster of noodles, including the wonderfully pink yen ta fo ($14, above), rice noodles in a pork broth that also travels the spectrum of sweet, spicy, and tangy. Made pink by a specific bean curd paste, a bowl includes squid, shrimp, fish balls, white mushrooms, and blood cubes.

Pa-Ord also does stir-fried Thai street vendor classics well, as observed with their very nice version pad kee mao ($13-14, below), also known as "drunken noodles." This chicken version was full of flavors and can be catered to the right spice level you desire.

After you finish and look up to the old studio photograph of the owner on the wall, you will want to thank her through the picture if she is not making her way amongst the tables when you dine. Having already finished the proof which came in your bowl of noodles, there is no arguing with the caption of the photograph: “I’m not Bossy, I just have Better Ideas.”

Ruam mit ($5, below) translates to a "gathering of friends" and is a shaved ice dessert that should be ordered when available. Especially if you have gathered a few of your closest friends and each person can only handle a spoonful or two, there is no better place to gather and divulge.

🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭